Recent Comments

Mercer, HP, St. Joe's and Furman need to be wins. Robert Morris and Bellarmine are somewhat new programs but are actually pretty good now (I was impressed with B'mine last year). AF was supposed to be winnable last year but Mich got crushed. Detroit could be winnable too. Last year's chedule was really hard and this looks a little easier.

I'm hoping this is the big breakout year for Michigan.

I thought ND was supposed to be on the schedule starting in Year 3. Also - I thought Mercer dropped its program but I guess not - anyone know about that?

Yes - I agree . I'm a little concerned about the holier-than-thou attitude some fans have. Pride comes before the fall. I didn't know about the Gibbons-Lewan scandal and I'm reading up on it now and its repulsive. They should have been punished. They should still be punished. I was hoping Michigan wouldnt' let their players get away with stuff like this. I really hope its not true. If it is - it puts Michigan in the Penn State-ND category.

Ohio State #1 , but there is a certain joy that comes with beating them when come in undefeated and/or in the national title race. Sometimes late in the season I actually root for them to win so Michigan can take them down.

ND, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina - other SEC teams. Any team who has ESPN on its jock.

KBC is awesome but its really small. I never go to Buffalo anymore (partly because I live right around the block from KBC now), but its too crazy in there during the games. Its huge but it gets really crowded and becomes a little hard to concentrate on the game.

The dudes who run KBC are great. For the Final 4 and title game they put TVs outside on the roof so people could watch from the street.

Matt Graham, a highly-touted, All American recruit from Chaminade on Long Island, is conspicuously absent from the roster.

Emil Weiss ,last year's goalie, is no longer on the roster either. As good as Logan has been, Weiss was just as good. Think I would rather have a sophomore in goal than a true freshman. Just hope we dont start with another freshman goalie next year.

Dutton- O'Hara and Francia transferred from St Johns and Villanova respectively, both decent programs. Gaughan was recruited by Navy, Penn State and some other east coast schools as well and I think a handful of other current players were recruited by other teams as well.

Back in the day we had at least 5 kids who were recruited by varsity teams and that was with no recruiting, weight room access, academic help or other perks. So I thought Mich would have had a better talent base to build on than Marquette, HP, etc.

Recruiting doesnt matter if we can't keep kids on the team. There are at least two legit players who were recruited and who are on campus ( I think) but are not on the team. That is not good...

Lacrosse is not all recruiting. Michigan should still be able to compete. Even the club program was recruiting for years before going varsity and Michigan was always able to coax some D-1 talent away from east coast programs.

This really was the only chance left for a win. St Joes is 5-8, probably not gonna happen.

I was at the game at Hopkins a few weeks ago and I went today. the improvement is certainly evident.

The faceoffs looked pretty good. Clears were way better. and it seems that between hernandez, joseph and jackson they have a few guys who can create on offense.

they are really frustrating to watch for two reasons though: 1)they are not physical. They had lots of opportunities to tune guys up and they didn't. Especially on unsettled plays in the midfield. If they are always going to be the less skilled team, they should at least throw their bodies around and let 'em know they're there.

2)They don't throw checks, which is infuriating. I don't understand the modern system of defense. So, if they're playing to set up the slides, they better get them right. And if you are sliding you have to take the body and be physical. Otherwise, the D will never be able to keep them in games.

Bu the last few games were really encouraging. I just hope they can start rolling and pick up some W's.

I thought they would be better by now. I thought Michigan would be able to make the transition more successfully than they have thus far. I'm afraid they won't win a game this year. I think a lot of the turbulence and turnover has hurt the team.

I think its great that there are a lot of freshmen getting quality minutes. I just wish there were more experienced upperclassmen around to shoulder the burden for now.

I'm surprised at this outcome. Didn't think Army was that good and Michigan was that bad. That dude Thul is legit though so I guess Michigan didn't have anyone who could stop him.

Michigan perplexes me as a team. They are so unpredictable and I don't really know what to think. With a discouraging result like this it's hard to see who they could beat on the schedule. Wednesday is definitely their best chance. Hope they can get a couple more this year too...

I agree man. Its starting to look like Portugal vs Italy in the World Cup out there. Block/charge is really hurting the game and makes it frustrating to watch. Refs so rarely go with the no-call which I think is the best call most of the time. Flops and dives need to be punished. Crean even told Sheehy to do that.

I was at the game and thought they did pretty well. They definitely played hard and hung with the Jays for the first few minutes. Despite the score it was a fun game to be at. There are a lot of encouraging signs out there. I think they should have gone into Ohio kill-the-clock mode after going up 1-0!

I also have a few questions for the mgolacrosse community:

1) Was the officiating as bad as it looked? We couldn't see replays, but it seemed like the two early pushes that gave Hopkins man-up goals were kind of soft/bad calls (don't worry - I'm not stupid, I know the game didn't hinge on the refs!)

2) Was Logan OK? He made a ton of awesome saves and then when the ball went to the other end he would double over in pain. He was wearing huge shoulder pads (which D-1 goalies never do) and seemed to be playing hurt. Heroic effort though.

3) What happened to Matt Graham? I didn't see him on the field and he's not listed on the roster. I thought he was supposed to be Michigan's first All-American recruit and he doesn't appear to be on the team which is discouraging.

I second that. Do it at the UM hospital. It's amazing. I had the same experience you had when I broke my leg. Surgery at the hospital and rehab through medsport.

When I actually got my ACL I did it at a hospital other than UM and it sucked.

As someone mentioned earlier, hoops and tennis are probably out of the question. Anything that requires a lot of hard running, planting, stopping and cutting is going to be tough. You'll be able to do it, just not the same way you used to.

Better think about playing first on a sottball team or taking up golf!

Too bad. another one gets away. after going up 3-0, Michigan was outscored 12-3 the rest of the game. In a pivotal stretch in the 3rd they gave up a goal on a man-up and then gave up goals on a botched clear and undisciplined play in unsettled situations and that about did it.

twitter is the worst. Honestly, is there anything good that ever comes out of twitter? I work in politics in DC, particularly in congressional scandals and corruption. And for the life of me I don't understand what anyone gets out of twitter other than an unnecessary outlet for scandals to escape. And a way to kvetch and/or pick fights with assholes like Dan Dakich. A twitter account is just asking for trouble and I don't really get what the upside is.

For example,yesterday a TN congressman sent 2 twitter messages to a young woman and then immediately erased them. It seemed like there was another Anthony Weiner-style scandal in the works. Turned out it was his secret, illegitimate daughter (he is a long time bachelor). It wasn't too lurid but you can bet his opponents will use that against him in the next election. All because of twitter! But, I suggest checking out pics of the the daughter - holy hell is she hot.

I agree . I think Morgan is so key on defense. While he may not make a lot of big highlight reel plays, hes usually in the right spot to hedge on a pick or otherwise disrupt the flow of the offense. It's also good just to have some experience on the floor. And he's a good finisher.

I'm surprised no on has really mentioned it. I think with him on the floor, maybe Michiggan wins the Indiana game. Ohio State doesnt go to OT because we don't let up so many weak offensive boards down the stretch. And today...well...lets not talk about today.

His absence has allowed McGary to get a ton of minutes though and he's developing very nicely. I'm psyched to see Morgan and McGary on the floor at the same time when he comes back. They'll wreak havoc.

I'm really surprised the announcers didnt mention him. I honestly don't recall his name being mentioned once. I was getting tired of hearing Jared Sullinger being mentioned more than a key player who was actually in the building. Dakich is a buffoon, what should I really expect?

So they lost 11-6 to Penn State today. Down 2 at the half and then Penn State went on a strong again just like last year. Still, a somewhat encouraging result. They'll probably be better this year than last year.

Also - don't look now, but High Point may be a tougher game than anticipated. They lost to Delaware by 2 and then beat Towson last night.

FUCK. I'm sick of this game. I want to get the hell out of Madison with a W. The longer we stay out on the court and leave it up to the refs that will become less likely. I hate Big 10 officiating and I'm sick of Dakich saying how great it is.

Jacksonville was def winnable. I don't remember Rutgers that well but I remember them pulling away late and being sad...

I thought Bellarmine was winnable too but they played horribly down the stretch. Detroit was the same way - Michigan fell apart towards the end. AFA was probably winnable, but they just flat out beat them, but that should not have been the case. I was at the Ohio game and was not impressed with the Buckeyes. Michigan could not generate any offense and also gave up some easy garbage goals (a last second canadian-circus-shot goal at the end of the half, an empty netter on a botched ten man ride) but still was in it.

I thought that was a theme in most of their games last year : they def punched above their weight but at the same time let opporutnities slip away. But I think my homer bias, unreasonable standards and thirst for Ws may have skewed my perception a bit!

Last year was pretty frustrating because I thought they could have won a few more games then they did. they were in most of the games last year and came so close. But, I'm glad to see some of the same teams on the schedule again so they can get some vengeance!

I'm excited to see what they do this year. I saw them play the East-West scrimmage in the fall. A lot of guys were out but they still looked pretty good. there's some decent talent and some good athletes. hopefully this year they can put it together and pull out some wins! Go Blue!

Also, supposedly he said that he hoped Tuiasasopo 'learned from the experience' and that he felt no ill will towards him? Are you kidding me? The dude who supposedly duped the hell out of you for 3 years and then made you an internet laughingstock and national symbol of idiocy? You feel no ill will towards that guy? I would have issued a 1980s WWF-style fatwa against that punk.

Schapp got played. I think the interview only raises more questions...

I get what you are saying. And right now, the best coaches can command the highest salaries because that is what the market dictates. We have Mattison for a reason and he's not cheap.

But here is why I think a cap would help the athletes. It would create a level playing field among NCAA programs and presumably would prevent hot coaches from bolting for bigger schools that can pay them more. I feel like this only hurts the kids who were recruited by that coach to play at that school.

I also don't think it should be a priority for a university or athletic department to shell out millions of dollars for a head football coach. Saban & Calipari made $5 million + this season. I don't think there is a problem with saying that they should do the same job for $1 million (which is still an exorbitant amount). And if they want to make more, they can go to the pros.

I just think the salaries are getting ridiculous. I don't agree that universities deserve to overpay for poor coaching - my problem is that they are overpaid in the first place! Also - these are not businesses in competition in a free marketplace - they are academic institutions.

True - and as feanor said, Michigan is lucky to be one of the few schools that can cover these expenses.

But, I think the 'facilities' arms race really fuels the growth in athletic department spending at these universities. It creates a crazed environment in which everyone is spending to compete for recruits. Meanwhile, these facilities will be used by only a fraction of the student body.

I think the NCAA needs to impose a cap on coaches' salaries as well. Compensation is one of the biggest drivers of athletic spending and the student-athletes don't see a dime of it...

I agree, this is selfless in the sense that it doesn't benefit him as much to stay as it does to go to the pros. It's not totally selfless, he is covering his ass with the insurance policy (which is just smart). But, that NFL paycheck is probably the best decision for his long term future.

He feels a strong connection to the team, which is a virtue we prize highly as Michigan fans, and sports fans in general. He wants to come back to help his teammates win and become better players. Very selfless. If he felt no loyalty to his team he would be looking for real estate in Philly or Cleveland right now.

This is a big risk for him - I mean he could get rolled up on on the first snap of 2013 (God forbid). I'm glad he's coming back and I'm proud of him for making a decision we so rarely see nowadays! Thanks Taylor and Go Blue!

Good question. There are only about 60 or so teams now, and the good news is is that number has been trending upwards over the last few years (about 10 years ago schools were dropping the sport).

You're right - 3 more conferences to expand to 32 sounds right.

I think the overall trend will continue over the next 10 years (and Michigan's addition of lacrosse can't be overstated). More schools will add it than cut it.

In the extreme long run (20+ years) lacrosse could become a revenue-generating sport. A lot of forward-looking ADs, especially at schools without football, may want to add the sport to get ahead of the curve.

Michigan will be the trailblazer for schools like Florida or UCLA, but Marquette may be the real trendsetter. Its a decent school with a good athletic tradition in an area where the sport is growing. BU , a similar school, is also adding lacrosse. Schools like GW, American, Fordham, Columbia, Xavier and DePaul fit that mold as well. UConn, GT (always rumored to be going D-1), Cinci and NW seem like they could pull it off too. But, its wishful thinking on my part.

The sad thing is that State, BC, VT and NC State all had programs back in the day.

I don't think we're too smart for college football but I do think we may be too clean (fingers crossed as I write this - God forbid a scandal breaks tomorrow).

This loss to Alabama was really discouraging but I have a feeling it will be vacated years from now. I don't trust Saban and while there is no proof, you KNOW there is some shady stuff going on down there that will come out later.

College football is a dirty game. I don't think Michigan is dirty enough to succeed. Think about all the teams that have enjoyed huge success over the last several years. Almost every single one of them was later punished for cheating or had to deal with serious allegations of breaking rules. USC, Ohio State, Miami, Auburn, Florida, even Penn State and Oregon. I wouldn't be surprised if we add Alabama to that list soon.

I like the CA idea. California kids can play. Michigan should recruit the traditional areas but should put down their flag in the upcoming areas like CA and CO. That's where the future lies. They definitely need to build a pipeline to Canada as well. Go Blue!

I hear what you're saying. I think mlax27 is right - I think we're talking about two different things. I was referring to the type of 'packing it in' for shot-blocking purposes which I don't think would really work.

I see what you're saying about playing super-tight, conservative defense being a drain on the game. Defensively, there is a benefit to having a compact defense but it is boring as hell. Princeton in the 90s was like this - they would get a big lead and then play smothering, stiflingly conservative defense.

The shot clock will only go into effect if the refs indicate a stall. Most stall calls occur when the team with the lead decides to sit on it to milk the clock. So, in most cases, the defense is already playing aggressive to try to the ball back. If the D isn't applying pressure, the refs will be less inclined to call the stall. So, the incentive to get out and pressure is still there.

I'm a bit biased, though, because I am a huge advocate for old-school aggressive defense (I think I'm out of touch). I think it will force the O to dodge or pass to an area where they can shoot, thus opening themselves up to checks and slides.

Rather than packing it in, a more effective strategy would be to throw checks, get on their hands and lift when they go to shoot (but then again thats my solution to everything). Hopefully, this will create more GBs and bad/weak shots, leading to transition opportunities.

On a separate note, what do you think about the alumni game in the Big House this year?

I think this is a great rule change - it fixes the current problem and stops short of a shot clock.

For a defense to pack it in isnt really a viable strategy in lacrosse. It would also be counterproductive/self-defeating because you are essentially screening your own goalie. There are also significant health risks as you mentioned (there have been a number of kids who have died on the field as a result of getting hit in the chest).

The stall-shot clock prevents attackmen from holding onto the ball while the D pressures them. The rule will level the playing field a little for the defense and hopefully keep the game moving.

I'm with you. I often find myself on ND's side come May eventhough I hate their guts and their coach is a little twerpish Brian Kelly look-alike. I'm happy for Loyola but I just wish they were from somewhere outside the traditional lacrosse areas.

I think State could make the best transition. Illinois may fare well too. I wonder how NW would do considering the success of the women's program. But, I dont ever recall playing them or them even having an MCLA team.

I think lacrosse's best hopes for growth lie in regional expansion. Universities that may be considering the addition of a lacrosse team may find the decision easier if there are other teams nearby. I would love to see a few California schools (probably prvate ones without football teams) go D-1. If BYU, Colorado and Colorado State went D-1 they could make that Rockie Mountain region pretty formidable. Also, those teams would be able to schedule D-1 games against each other and Denver and AF, taking the pressure off constant travel to the east coast, which is a daunting challenge facing athletic departments. They may only have to book 2 or 3 trips to the east coast each year instead of 4 or 5. It would also give east coast teams more incentive to go out there. Plus, those teams have athletes who can play.

Interestingly enough, my father spoke with someone in Wisconsin's ath. dept. and asked them about lacrosse. They said that after Marquette went D-1 they looked into it but they have since ruled it out completely. So, it doesnt look like Wisconsin will be adding a team anytime soon.

A shot clock is not the worst idea ever, but there are ways that the refs can speed up the game and prevent stalling without necessarily resorting to a shot clock.

The sport doesn't necessarily need a shot clock, but just a way to discourage the cheap stalling tactic employed by the likes of Ohio State against Denver (and to a degree against U of M). If you saw the Denver game, the 4th quarter was excrutiating and not in the spirit of the game. If you saw the Mich-OSU game, Ohio made the 4th qtr disappear because we did not pressure enough and couldnt get the ball back.

One way they can do this is to maybe make the box smaller. Or create a smaller box within the traditional restraining box.

But, the easiest thing to do would be to institute a 10,15 or 20 second shot clock after a stall call is made. As of now, there is basically no repercussion for a stall unless you step out of the box, or in the crease. Teams can just hold it and kill the clock and the box is big enough to allow these teams to drain seconds off the clock. But if they insituted a floating/situational shot clock this would not be possible. If they dont get a shot on cage within that timeframe then it is a delay of game violation and a turnover.

I don't know if any of mgoblog's lacrosse community has seen the NCAA tournament seedings yet but there is some unusual stuff going on in the bracket this year.

UMass, which had a historic season, finishing undefeated and ranked #1 in the country, got jobbed with a 6 seed. 6! Unbelievable! For their hard work and success this season they get to play a red hot 13-3 Colgate team in the first round and then either Duke or Syracuse in the 2nd round (I don't think I need to state their tourney credentials). Meanwhile, Hopkins, which yes, did beat #1 seed Loyola but also lost to a deplorable Navy team by a pathetic score of 8-2 last week, got the #2 seed. They get to play 7-9 Stony Brook, an AQ team. Hopkins, of course, is college lacrosse royalty.

We may be looking at a Final 4 of Duke, UVA, Hopkins and UNC - the same old, same old.

This is becoming a huge problem. If you're not among the 'elites' in college lacrosse, the deck is stacked against you. I hope that the sort of politics that has plagued the sport for years is gone by the time Michigan is perenially in the hunt for a playoff spot. If not, well, they might as well be a club team again.

True. It was a pretty frustrating season, though. I thought they would end up with more wins. I think if they had Weiss in the first few games they would have beaten Detroit and hung with Penn State a little longer.

Looking back, they could have beaten Jacksonville and Rutgers and maybe even Ohio State. I thought they played poorly against Ohio and still only lost 12-9. 11-7 losses to both Harvard and Delaware is very encouraging and very impressive for what is basically a club team.

But, they had some shitty, near-blowout losses to teams like Mout St. Mary's, Bellarmine and Air Force which was sort of bewildering. They were not strong teams and at the beginning of the season looked like the few winnable games on the schedule (Mount excluded).

For a first year team they had a really hard schedule and they performed pretty admirably. This also was not Michigan's strongest team. But overall, they have a lot to build on for the future.

I'm dying for the days when they'll be playing in the NCAAs. Hopefully its sooner rather than later. Go Blue!

If anyone wants to scout UNC they are playing Duke in the ACC Championship on ESPN U right now. Its tied 2-2. Carolina has some tiny but extraordinarily quick attackmen. Michigan's gonna have their hands full. Enjoy!

I agree- I was at the game watching it up close. We needed to be more aggressive offensively. Acutally, we had a few guys who could get a step on Ohio defenders, but once we drew the slide we got a bit timid and didn't move the ball fast enough. Ohio definitely had one very weak defensive midfielder who Michigan repeatedly picked on, which was a good strategy. Ohio's overall team D was very good. But I would have liked to see more dodges from our attack.

11-7 vs Harvard is a very encouraging result. I think they're gearing up for an upset of ohio in the Big House.

For those of you unfamiliar with lacrosse, there are some great games on ESPNU today to help you get acquainted. #6 ND plays St. John's (and former U of M d-man, Harry Freid) at 1 pm. #8 Duke plays #14 Syracuse at 4 pm and then #12 UNC takes on #1 Hopkins at 6:30 pm.

These are perennial Final 4 contenders and will showcase a ton of talent and great coaching. Enjoy!

I agree - this doesn't seem like Michigan's strongest team. It seems like the D and faceoff are lacking compared to past years. As you mentioned, the team with Freid anchoring the defense and Kohlitz holdin it down on faceoffs probably would have fared better against Division 1 competition.

I don't think the gap between club level and Division 1 is as great as everyone thinks it is. And I think Michigan has let a few slip through their fingers this year. In the games I've seen, I noticed a lot of unforced turnovers and avoidable mistakes from - the kind that hurt a growing team in close games. But, that's part of growing as a program, I guess.

But, I really don't think that Michigan is too overwhelmed by the jump. They've been in almost every game and held leads in most of them (plus its a really tough schedule). But, people will just see the record and assume that they got wiped out at this level, which isn't entirely true.

That's very true - I notice a lot of very quick whistles on faceoffs now - so quick that you don't even know what happened. In most cases, Kessenich and McEnany on ESPN dont even tell you what happened because it happens so quickly.

By the way, 2 of SportsCenter's Top 10 plays tonight were from the Hopkins-Virginia game. They were pheonomenal plays worthy of the top 10!

(I'm a coach now and I'm going to teach my 8th graders how to cheat - we may really need it!)

It depends on the style and pace of the game but face-offs can be huge. In a game with a lot of scoring and turnovers face-offs may not be that crucial. But in a lot of Michigan's games, with long possessions and low scores, they can be very important. If you're down you're never really out of it if you have a good faceoff man. They can fuel a big comeback run. On the flip side, its very hard for Michigan to get back in these games if they can't win faceoffs.

There is a remarkable amount of cheating that goes on in facing off in lacrosse. It's usually the guy who can cheat the most and get away with it that wins the FO and not necessarily the guy who wants it most!

Scrappiness is definitely a good trait you want in a faceoff man. Novak would make a good faceoff man. So would Kellen Russell and other wrestler types. Quick, strong hands are the most valued asset.

Excellent stuff. The D is holding it together despite a number of challenges and disadvantages.

I wonder what's up with the clears. I think the D isn't as strong as it has been in the past. They are giving up a ton of shots so its doubtful that they are even creating many turnovers. Seems like when they do get a save or a takeaway they can't handle the ride of Div. 1 attack and mids, probably because of the athlete gap. This is one huge difference from club life. D-1 atttackmen are faster and stronger and much more aggressive on the ride than club teams. Plus - Michigan's D-middies are probably not the swiftest dudes either. That position probably has the toughest transition from club to varsity, considering its not a glamor position and no one recruits for it - particularly a club team.

However, on the set clears, which are typically slow, methodical and organized, Michigan should almost always clear the ball. Set clears should always have an 80%-90% success rate.

They've had more than a week to rest and prepare so hopefully they can fix whats wrong and then take care of business vs Bellarmine. And I got a feeling they're going to beat Ohio in the Big House...just a feeling...

.500 was not really reasonable because their schedule is pretty tough and they're still basically playing with a club team. But, they had a good opportunity for a win last Friday at Jacksonville but lost in overtime. And they were without their starting goalie for the first 4 games which made a big difference.

Loyola is #9 in the country, too, so this one is going as planned. But, I hope and I don't think its out of the question, that they can pull off an upset somewhere along the way.

So, to answer your question - 1-5 is about right but a little worse than expected.

I remember that name - he was a big star back in the day. But - he's wrong. Loyola is exactly the type of marginal power that will be hurt by Michigan's entry to the big time. While its not a bad school, it is certainly not on the academic level of Michigan and it borders a really rough area of Baltimore. It won't be long before Michigan is poaching recruits and beating teams like Loyola, Denver, Penn State, Ohio State, Hofstra and even some of the weaker Ivies. It will never be Loyola lacrosse - it will be better! (Today aside of course).

For those of you interested in learning more about lacrosse, Syracuse and Virginia are playing on ESPN at 4:30. These two teams have been the most talented teams in the game over the last 20 years and it should be an exciting matchup. Expect a lot of speed and a lot of scoring.

Loyola beat Bellarmine 11-8, which is not really the resounding victory you would expect from the Greyhounds. Maybe that means Loyola is not as strong as we thought (or that Bellarmine is stronger than we thought - lets hope its the former).

Ohio, after beating #5 Denver a few weeks ago, laid some eggs against UMass, losing 9-3 and Penn State, losing 5-2. I won't say that this looks winnable now, but it doesn't look like the beating we envisioned after they beat Denver. Plus, it will be at the Big House - who knows what will happen?

Also, the fact that ND and Ohio put up 3 and 2 vs Penn State, respectively, while Michigan hung 9 on them is a little weird and oddly encouraging.

Agreed. While they are basically a club program, they still have talent. It's too bad that they are only 1-5 now. They are much better than their record indicates.

I think Weiss' impact in goal is huge. He seems to be the big difference maker since his return. One can only wonder what could have been if he played vs. Detroit & Air Force. Maybe those teams don't go on their big 3rd quarter runs if Weiss is in goal. Maybe Penn State's run is held to only 3 goals instead of 6. They let one slip through their fingers on Friday vs Jax in which they had a 3-0 lead. But notice - Jax didn't have a huge run like Michigan's previous opponents did.. This team could easily be 3-3.

Regardless - it seems like they're getting better and will continue to do so. Go Blue!

It seems like Michigan can run with these teams until their mental lapse, that allows their opponents to go on a big run. Against UDM, PSU and AF, Michigan was competitive and even had early leads. Let's hope they can find a way to stop the bleeding and keep it close against Jax and Mercer.

Thanks for all the updates. Wish it could have been better news. What a weird game. Michigan goes up 3-0, then lets up 9 unanswered goals and never got back into it. Weird. Maybe they can get that elusive first W next week - Go Blue!

This was Tierney's 300th win, which he should have got last week against Ohio State, Denver was pissed, at home and at elevation. Not to mention they contended for a national title last year and will probably do so again this year. Michigan was really up against it in this one. But, it looks like they put up a good fight nonetheless. I think that's what we'll see a lot this year - this team is not going to give up.

In the shot-clock argument - there are some grounds for comparison between lacrosse and basketball but there are also major differences.

As compared to a basketball court, there is so much more space on a lacrosse field for a player to kill time. There are also many more rules in basketball governing the handling of the ball that can result in a turnover. Pressure defense can force offenses into these kinds of mistakes. Lacrosse allows the O to hold a small-sized ball quite securely in their stick behind the cage with no intent of trying to score. The rules don't really help the D, the way basketball rules do. The only such rules in lacrosse are warding off (which is somewhat common), thumbing the ball in the crosse and the Jim Brown chest-clamp rule (both of which are very rare).

The stall is usually called on a team that has the lead - so it wouldn't really behoove the D to pack it in. They need the ball. If there was a shot clock, they could pack it in and wait for the shot, but then the O could purposely fire wide and back up the shot to regain possession.

But, lacrosse has gone this long without reforming the stall rule so maybe it's not as bad as we think. There is not really a '4 corners' problem but the rule may need a bit of tweaking because there is too much going in the offense's favor.

Good points all. A shot clock would probably result in the goal-packing but I think there needs to be some middle ground between a shot clock and what they have now. I think after a stall call is made by the officials to keep it in the box, the offense must make some kind of aggressive move to the cage within 20 or 30 seconds or its a delay of game violation and a turnover. Or maybe they should make the box smaller?

They really did. It's their 3rd year, right? They didn't seem overly athletic, but the offense seemed very smart and well-coached. Their goalie seemed pretty good too. I was hoping that would be a potential win for Michigan on the schedule but now I'm not so sure...(kind of wish Navy was on the sched - they looked terrible for the bit I saw).

I wasn't that impressed with Denver or Ohio State though. Athletic -yes, more athletic than Michigan I imagine (haven't seen Mich play yet). Hopefully Denver isn't as tough as we thought and it won't be a full-scale slaughter this Saturday. On the other hand, Ohio State may be better than we thought - but Michigan has two months to get ready for them.

Amazing that 3 teams on Michigan's schedule were all on network TV today...

Yes, Michigan's strategy in general this year is to control the pace of the game because they are at such a disadvantage in many respects. JP said that they want to control the overall number of possessions in a game - keep it under 60. This means fewer turnovers, longer possessions and less opportunities for the opponents to score.

Michigan is very likely to employ this tactic with a lead - especially if it is against a team they shouldn't be beating. Especially because Michigan is not too proficient at faceoffs at this level.

Ohio really abused it, but Denver was way too non-chalant with letting them hold it.

For those of you who are interested and want to learn about lacrosse Denver is playing Ohio State on NBC right now. They will be followed by Navy vs Jacksonville.

Also, Michigan has to play OSU, Jax and Denver this year so it will be a great way to scout them out and see what we're in for. They play Denver next week. (Denver is really good). Great way for folks who don't know to familiarize themselves with the game.

This Is VERY rare. To have a double header on national broadcast TV is pretty much unheard of in lacrosse. Not to mention - it doesn't feature the typical marquis teams that always seem to be on TV (and we're all so sick of) like Duke, UVA, ND, Syracuse, Hopkins, etc.

Penn State is going to be VERY good in the coming years. They have a new coach, Jeff Tambroni who was at Cornell for a long time and repeatedly had them knocking on the door of a national championship.

It sounds like Michigan controlled the pace of the game and kept it within striking distance for most of it. Its too bad it got away from them in that stretch in the 3rd.

Yes- the development of stick technology definitely favors the offense, unfortunately. I feel the art of the take-away check is beginning to fade away. I'm shocked at how many times I see defensemen hacking the free arm and don't get called (for those who don't know an offensive player can carry the stick in one hand and put his other arm out for protection but can't move it - sort of like a stiff arm - but defensemen can't hit the free arm on purpose).

You're right about the body checks too. There is a renewed emphasis on protecting players and officials have started doing that by discouraging high hits. There were a handful I saw last year that were great hits but got flagged. At the risk of sounding like James Harrison, I think they are being a bit overprotective. (Like I said - I was a defensemen and never agreed with a ref's call my whole life - haha!). Thanks again Brooks.

The alumni updates from JP usually have some good insight - he's been saying they've been getting interest from solid D-1 calibur players. He also said that they're getting attention from some of the 'right kinds of players' in the sophomore class - meaning excellent high school athletes who play varsity in more than one sport as underclassmen. He's also mentioned that maybe they'll land one or two Top 50 kids.

JP also said that soon after the announcement his inbox was blowing up with recruiting emails from coaches, scouts, players, etc. At one point he was getting 80-90 a day. So, there's definite interest out there. He's also trying to establish a pipeline to Canada which is an amazing idea.

Greatlaxstate does an amazing job - people who are interested in recruiting should definitely check it out.

Wahoo - excellent stuff (sorry I snapped at ya the other day by the way)

Good questions - its probably just athletes. Michigan usually has a handful (sometimes 0) players that can play at most Div 1 schools and the rest of the team is made up of good HS players but not necessarily great athletes. Detroit on the other hand has been recruiting kids for a few years now so they have better athletes at every position. But there's probably more that plays into it.

Detroit should be fairly decent this year though - some have projected them to win their conference.

Yeah that seems about right. I'm ever the optimist and like to think that they can beat J'ville (still a fresh D-1 team) and that maybe they can steal a game from Rutgers or Air Force. They were'nt good last year if I remember correctly and hopefully Michigan will catch them on another down year. Detroit is expected to win its conference so they may be better than we think...

i just wanted to touch on slashing and body checking. For slashes - most refs will call a slash on any hard slap check that lands on the upper arms, shoulder or torso (basically anywhere not on the hands or lower forearms). But nowadays you're seeing checks move further and further up the arm without getting called for a slash. Also Div. 1 seems to let defensemen wind up and take big hacks now, with no apparent intent to land a check on the sticks or gloves.

When it comes to body checks - the rules of lacrosse and the way they are enforced can be maddeningly inconsistent (as a former defenseman I know how frustrating this is). You'll see what look like hard, clean body checks that get flagged for a "push with possession" or "illegal bodycheck". And you'll see others that seem like they're late or from behind, too high or actually look like a push and they won't get called. It's all up to the ref's discretion.

Also - Division 1 is a much more physical game than the MCLA and refs let them play much rougher. The refs will let them get away with a lot more so Michigan can play much more aggressively now, which will be a welcome change from the MCLA.

Ha! well put. Why don't they just bring back that scumbag, cheating-ass coach on staff as well? They can have Fickell do the Xs & Os, Tressel provide the inspirational/motivational speeches and Meyer can recruit future Terrelle Pryors.

I agree - this is ridiculous. If LSU loses to Georgia and then its still LSU-Alabama then you'll have two teams that didn't win their conference playing for the national championship.

Herbstreit should be ashamed of himself. Losses later in the season are weighted more heavily than losses at the beginning (well thats usually the way its been). If Mich had lost to Ohio State at the beginning of the season, they almost certainly would have been in that national championship rematch in '06.

SEC bias has to stop - its making a mockery of college football and the BCS.

rodriguez did recruit some great guys, but he didn't hold onto a bunch of Lloyd's guys. Plus, did he recruit forcier as well? As much as I loved Tate, he was kind of a punk. There were also questions surrounding Demar Dorsey who didn't make it. A lot of people were afraid that another Pacman Jones would end up at Michigan under Rodriguez.

Rodriguez definitely deserves a lot of credit. But, those kids may not have been as good with him on the sidelines this year.

Very true, southern California has produced a handful of D-1 players and some really good ones at that. Keep an eye out for some SoCal players during the tournament games, every once in a while they'll pop up. A lot of the solid MCLA teams have a lot of California kids. Do you know if Whittier still has a team? At one point in the early 2000s they were NASTY...

Considering Michigan is a better school, closer to home, and likely a comparable lax team than a lot of the schools on that list, it's certainly not a stretch to assume a decent number of transfers, at least initially. After that we can start recruiting those kinds of guys, and after that - domination.

I like the way you think my man!

Going over that list, those are some impressive teams. The state of Michigan as a recruiting base is no joke. Should D-1 be implemented Michigan would have a decided edge over most of the schools on that list.

They'll definitely take some lumps in their first year, but they'll also dish out a few. I'm kind of excited to see that this may be happening next year. It will serve as a lab experiment to see how Michigan,purely a club team with no scholarships, would fare in Division 1.

I've always felt that Michigan teams would run in the middle of the pack (probably somewhere in the back) but by no means at the bottom. I'm judging this on the fact that in an official game, Michigan crushed a team in the lower rungs of Division 1 (but this was years ago). Also, some of Michigan's MCLA rivals have also done pretty well against Division I and Division II teams.

The real difference though is athletes. And thats what they'll find out next year. Michigan always has decent athletes but they have great lacrosse players. In the past Michigan has only typically had maybe 2 or 3 guys on the squad at a time who were athletic enough to play for a top 25 Division 1 team. Division 1 teams, particularly the ones at the top, have benchfuls of big, strong, fast athletes.

It would be interesting to see what transfers would come or which kids would jump ship from schools they've committed to. That might not be likely but you never know...GO BLUE! WIN ANOTHER ONE!

Go Blue! This would be amazing! I think they could get some good wins next year! I hope this goes through - Coach Paul and Dave Brandon deserve a ton of credit and should be commended. This will be great for the sport.

Interesting question. Michigan has a handful of players who could have or did play Division 1. Over the last ten to fifteen years Michigan has had DIvision 1 talent on campus. Now, they seem better than they've ever been. They would probably run in the back half of DIvision but I think they could be close to the middle of the pack. They could probably beat a handful of teams in the weaker conferences.

Additionally, if D-1 ever does roll around I would love to see Michigan ignite lacrosse rivalries with ND, tOSU, Penn State and Duke.

That's a troubling statistic but judging from the score they were obviously not great shots. That is probably a product of the defense forcing BC into tough, contested shots. In lacrosse there are several times where giving up a shot is not necessarily a bad thing. I haven't seen them play but M's defense is supposed to be superb.

Also - if you haven't already checked this out its a great article on Michigan lacrosse and Coach Paul from the Detroit News. I don't think anyone's posted it yet but definitely a great read...

Excellent post and article. Weiler is right - Hill took way too much umbrage to the slight to his own upbringing and showed little empathy for Jalen's background and how different it was from his. It seemed like Hill didn't understand where Jalen was coming from. And, I have always liked Grant Hill (loved him when I was a kid) but he came across as a snob in his reply. I think Jimmy, Juwan, Ray and Jalen came across as savvier, smarter and more down to Earth than Hill.

Jalen is right. He was probably wrong to phrase it the way he did. But he was right - Duke did not recruit kids like him. I don't know the specifics - but were Juwan or Jalen recruited by Duke? If you are Jalen Rose, growing up in a single-parent household on the gritty streets of Detroit or Juwan Howard, raised by your grandmother in a housing project in Chicago, and you are a top 10 recruit - wouldn't you wonder why the #1 team and defending champion is not interested in you?

Duke (for the most part) does do everything right and that is why they are respected. But their attitude is precisely why they are hated.

How can we get the current team to shave their heads for the NCAA tournament? Morris, Morgan and Hardaway would look pretty badass. Plus, Novak, Smotrycz and Vogrich look absurd with their present do's. Might as well get some black socks and sneaks too

I'm a former player and a big follower of the lacrosse program and wish them the best of luck in their quest for Division 1 status.

I'm going to watch the soccer game tonight and root like hell for Michigan. It's hard to believe that the soccer program is only ten years old. Their first year in Division 1 was when I was a freshman. By the time I was a senior they had made the NCAA tournament. Only ten years in and they're in the Final 4! What great progress! Let's hope Michigan lacrosse can replicate that same success! Go Blue!

They absolutely need to birng those unis back and keep them for good. Too bad all college hoops teams now have HUGE shorts.

That photo is on the cover of Mitch Albom's "Fab Five" (I highly recommend it. At the time I was reading it about 2 years ago, I took a trip to the mall to buy some sneaks. Lo and behold, Nike had brought back those very kicks our boys are wearing in that photo. Of course, I bought a pair. They look much cooler on the Fab 5 than they do on me, but still a very cool item of Michigan gear.

That would be great. Too bad State dropped their program all those years ago. I think Penn State is gonna be on the upswing in the next few years under new coach Jeff Tambroni. I bet Northwestern could also put together a decent program before too long.

I don't want to jinx it because its not official yet but this would be great for the sport (you and I have talked a lot about this). I'm a former player from the east coast so I'm pretty biased but I would love to see it. I probably won't believe it til they stop on the field for their first game (hopefully in 2012 rather than 2013)! GO BLUE!

When a friend of mine (an ND fan) heard that Michigan was switching from Nike to Adidas he said "Michigan is gonna suck now. Tennessee and Notre Dame have sucked since they got Adidas uniforms". I can't say I disagree. Look how great those teams are doing these days. Adidas is the culprit - off with its head! We need to get a good ol' fashioned American outfitter back in here! I want Nike to make us some whacky, futuristic uniforms like they do for Oregon!

Utah was legit - you were definitely on base there. And to tell you the truth, UConn scares the hell out of me. They ran all over the Irish at home when Charlie Weis' job was on the line. Michigan has to win that game.

The rest of the Big Ten's OOC sched is not too ambitious. But again ,look at Ohio State - they're playing the U (who is probably back on track). Minnesota is playing Southern Cal. Those are big games.

Michigan's OOC used to be a little beefier. In 2002 Michigan played ND and Washington. In 2003 and 2006 they played ND and Oregon.

OSU has been scheduling USC, Texas and now Miami. We've been scheduling Central, Eastern, SDSU, No. Illinois, Delaware State, UMass and of course [The Horror]. Of course OSU was also feasting on cupcakes in those years but that's understandable if you're playing the two top teams in your other OOC games. And unfortunately, for much of the past 10 years ND has been the big OOC matchup for us and as you know has not always been good.

When I heard we scheduled UMass I thought "My God, we're turning into a Big East team!"

Strenght of Schedule is a huge factor. Michigan should have one of the toughest schedules each year. With a schedule like this year's, the BCS probably won't look too favorably on out of conf wins against BGSU, UMASS, UConn and a likely weak ND team. Let's hope it doesnt come down to it (it probably won't). I mean really...Umass?

I think its something Michigan had to do regardless of the coach. I don't necessarily think it is a matter of Dave Brandon feeling good enough about RichRod to finally schedule a big dog. This is mostly about the $ and getting Michigan in front of a big time audience for a high-profile, early-season out of conference game. To be honest, they've needed it . I've been getting really jealous of Ohio State these last few years when they play the likes of Texas and USC.

Since RR's arrival we have played pretty weak teams in OOC. I mean we play UConn and UMAss this year for cryin' out loud. We're going in the wrong direction. The best football is being played out west and down south. I'd rather play Boise St., TCU or Houston than any of the teams back east. Or they should even bring back the Pac-10 games the Colorado series. Granted, Michigan's schedule is tough enough (plus Nebraska will be a member of the Big 10 come 2012) but Michigan should never shy away from taking on top oppenents no matter what.

RR better have the team flying high come 2012 (if he is still around). A poor showing against a powerhouse like the Crimson Tide could be bad for the program.

On a related note, its about time Alabama or any SEC team for that matter added someone tough to their OOC schedule. I can't stand the SEC and the media's mega-raging huge boner for them. I fucking hate Alabama. It should bode well for M though, they always seem to beat the SEC in bowl games.

2003, Chris Perry barrels over Dustin Fox in the end zone after a long run against Ohio State.

Braylon's huge touchdown against OSU in aught 3. (also on the kneel-down play at the end, Braylon was the back man/Herm Edwards safety net and he did a standing backflip when the whistle blew - unbelievable).

Manningham's crazy sideline to sideline play against Florida in Chad Henne Fest (Cap. One Bowl 08). The play only went for like 15-20 yards but it was frightening to see what he was capable of.

Jamar Adams comes up and smashes Tim Tebow in the mouth during Chad Henne Fest 08.

Pooh Bear Williams...simply because of the way Keith Jackson would get so excited when he came in and would say his name in that ridiculous voice. Plus, the dude was like 450 lbs and he played running back.

Darren Sproles, Troy Davis and any little feisty, speedy running back that got no respect.

Any game from the 90s that pitted the Florida teams against each other. They wanted to kill each other and it was awesome to watch. Those games were great until about 2001 or 2002.

Jake the Snake Plummer -Arizona State 1996.

USC - Reggie Bush. Mike Williams. I don't care.

Brady Quinn. Jimmmeh - I'm kidding. They were awful.

Shit I just love watching college football. Nothing more American, brother.

You make an interesting point, however, ND and Michigan are not the same thing. Like jhu said, Ann Arbor is a better collegetown. Also, ND is a Catholic school, which may not be for everybody (Shit, I know Catholic dudes who didn't go to ND because the Catholic aspect made them feel uncomfortable). And let's not forget how much hatred there is out there for the Irish.

Having ND in the championship game is great because they appeal to a national audience, unlike a JHU or Cornell. But, for every person who loves ND there are probably at least 2 who love to see them lose no matter what sport they are playing. (Don't get me wrong, there is heaps of hatred for U of M out there, too, so maybe that wouldn't be an advantage - ha!).

Also, the other night I ran into a guy I knew who played 4 years at ND and he said Coach Corrigan is the WORST. He said that he and all his teammates hated Corrigan's guts. So, maybe that is an edge U of M would have- JP is a stand-up guy and is a great coach to play for.

And of course a national championship would be an advantage in the recruiting arena, but if U of M were to get serious, they would have to recruit against the likes of Syracuse, JHU, UVA, etc. who all have national titles too.

But, my opinion is that an Irish championship may not necessarily directly help U of M's chances. But, it will turn heads westward. I think at the very least, it couldn't hurt.

I caught the Syracuse-Princeton game this year at the Big City Classic that was held at the new Giants Stadium. It would be a great facility to host more lacrosse games. I hate that area but it nevertheless would be a great spot for the Final 4.
I'm still not completely sold on having the Super Bowl there, but Final 4 yes.

Well put. I would love to see a midwestern team break up that Olde Boys Club of champions. It's just a shame that I would have to pull for ND to see it.

It would also be refreshing to see two teams who have never won it face each other. But, alas those teams would be ND and Duke. Ugh. And ESPN coverage of a Notre Dame-Duke championship would be thoroughly nauseating.

Interesting. It's pretty much a hate-fest all around for me too. I can't stand UVA and Duke. Cornell finds amazing ways to lose games they should win. And of course Notre Dame is contemptible because they are Notre Dame.

However, a strong showing by ND would be a great victory for lacrosse in the midwest. And I think that in the long run that could be good for U of M. I hope Dave Brandon tunes in this weekend and becomes a lacrosse fan!

That day was nothing short of AWESOME. I was a senior so it was great to see them go out on top. Plus that was such a great OSU team to beat; with Hawk, Carpenter, Holmes and Salley among others. I HATED those Bucknuts more than any other OSU team ever.

OSU had more talent but Michigan straight outplayed them. That's why we haven't won since. OSU consistently has had more talent but they have also outplayed us almost every single year. 2003 was a near perfect game. I'm proud of that team, particularly Perry who played his ass off that game.

I'm pissed at my self for not appreciating Lloyd enough in his day. I can't believe I'd be longing for the good ol days of LLoyd Carr Michigan football. (I'm sorry but I'm kind of an RR hater and I just watched the replay of the 2003 game and I miss real Big Ten championship football. I don't particularly like the Big East brand).

It is sad to hear that this Big Ten title draught is one of the longest ever. But, after that 1960s dry spell do you know what happened? Bo Schembechler happened. Maybe we'll get lucky again soon. Until then we'll just have to keep savoring the 2003 championship. Woloverine Historian thanks again. Go Blue!

I don't see why adding one of the fastest growing sports to the athletic program would be bad for the university. It would give Michigan a chance to flex its muscles in an entirely new sport and enrich its athletic tradition.

You argued that Michigan's geographic location will hinder its ability to attract recruits but I don't think you understand the appeal the university has in the east. There have been several east coast players through the years who have turned down the opportunity to play Division 1 lacrosse to become students at Michigan. In fact, a few years ago, a Wolverine was drafted to play professionally if I'm not mistaken.

And if you are going to play the 'what's-the-worth-to-the-university?' card, then let me ask: what do the gymnastics, golf or track & field teams bring to the table? What benefits do they provide to students who are not on those teams? There are probably only three teams on campus that actually generate revenue for the athletic department; football, hockey and men's basketball (in fact, the football program generously funds the whole athletic department). So, by using that logic, why not cut every team that doesn't make money for the university? I don't think anyone would want to tackle those difficult questions. I think most students and alumni still support them nonetheless.

Lacrosse is actually a decent spectator sport (as seen in ESPN's commitment and attendance at the Final 4). It's fast-paced, physical and fun to watch. Who knows?- In the future, Michigan lacrosse may grow into one of the most popular teams on campus. I think the athletic department would like to have an exciting sport to put butts in the seats come spring time. But, late winter/early spring in Ann Arbor can be a bitch, as we all know.

Michigan lacrosse would be good for the game, good for the team and good for the university. Go Blue!

I played for Michigan years ago and I can tell you the California and Colorado kids can play. There are pockets of good talent out west and they do send a lot of kids east to play. But, a lot of the talent slips through the cracks and ends up at schools like Colorado, CSU, Arizona and Cal.

I was very impressed with the play of Chapman and ASU. I think it goes to show that Michigan has raised the level of play not only for themselves but for the rest of the league. Michigan may have outgrown this league but I think there a handful of teams that are not that far behind them.

I would love to see Michigan start a varsity program. It won't enjoy immediate success but I don't think it would be very long. Michigan already has Division 1 talent on campus now and that is without a varsity program, scholarships or too much help from the admissions office. I would say Michigan would have a recruiting edge on half of the teams that made the NCAA tournament this year, based solely on its non-lacrosse strengths. Out of these schools where would you rather go to school; Stony Brook, Hofstra, Delaware, Loyola, Mount St. Mary's, Denver or Michigan? I think one of those would pique a recruit's interest more than the others, but I'm fairly biased so...

I would even argue that NCAA lacrosse needs Michigan just as much as Michigan needs it. I love catching games on TV but I am SICK of the same teams. Everytime the Final 4 is made up of Virginia, Duke, Princeton and Hopkins, that is bad for the sport (thankfully this year there will be no Final 4 for Syr, JHU and Prin). There is far greater parity these days but its still largely the same. Lacrosse is badly in need of some new blood.

Hopefully Coach Tierney at Denver and AD Brandon at Michigan can shift the balance of power slightly westward.

But I just hope Michigan keeps rolling and continues to raise the bar for the club game. Go Blue! Go for #4 next year!

Texas State is led by coaches ROBERT LOGGIA and Hector Elizondo. In goal is two sport athlete, Manu Manu The Slender, who also plays center for the school's beleaguered football team. Sinbad anchors the defense.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I don't care how much he has matured, when you pull a move like that you're bound to be the subject of fun for years to come. If he couldn't back it up - which he sure as hell didn't - don't show up like that. He brought that heat on himself.

I have to say that I am not so sure about his toughness. It seemed like he picked apart the U of M defense this year in the first half. But, as soon as Michigan hit him once in the second half he immediately got timid and started throwing off his back foot and getting rid of the ball to early. It may have conjured up bad memories of the drudging he took in 2007. (On second thought, the fact that he is actually alive after that is maybe a testament to his toughness.)

I like to think of Tate Forcier as a less talented, much gutsier Jimmah Clausen. I'll gladly take Forcier in that equation. By the way, how the hell did ND not win that game last year?

I've heard but not sure if it's true but has anyone ever heard of the Forcier-Clausen QB family rivalry? Supposedly the Forciers can't stand the Clausens. Discuss.

State always comes to play against Michigan but, as in many other sports, U of M has a healthy habit of beating them down when they get too big for their britches. I don't think this week will be any different. Keep it going boys!

I'm sorry to see the streak go, but then again 50 out of 51 ain't so bad. More importantly, I'm glad they stuck it to those CSU Rams. I always loved beating those guys more than anyone else. Go Blue! Beat Purdue and State!

England always seems to have the talent to win it all but they can never put it together. Spain is the same way.

I'll be rooting like hell for the good ol' USA. I think they can make a serious run at it. That would be great to see and make the summer incredibly fun.

I must commend mgoblog again for its diverse and thorough sports coverage. I love reading about World Cup soccer and U of M lacrosse (R.I.P. 49 game winning streak) in addition to the superb reporting on all things maize and blue. USA! Go Blue! Thanks!

I didn't mean to say that UNC and Virginia and such schools didn't have unique experiences. They do. Those programs and athletic departments are highly prestigious. Of course, Michigan cannot match their lacrosse tradition - for example, Syracuse has been playing the game for roughly 100 years. U of M obviously can't match that.

But, Princeton's pedigree as a lacrosse power is not as deep as a Syracuse or Hopkins. Princeton only became a power when they shocked Syracuse in 1992, so they are relatively new to the top tier. Also, Duke only became prominent in the 1990s - largely due to its reputation as an athletic and academic elite.

My point is that Michigan's overall athletic tradition will make it competitive. They have won national championships in 9 men's sports and have had dozens of individual national champions in various sports and sent over 200 athletes and coaches to the Olympics. Most other schools cannot match that type of tradition.

When I was a freshman I was surprised to hear that Michigan's men's soccer team was in its first season as a varsity program. They struggled at first but by the time I was a senior they finished second in the Big Ten and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. I seriously doubt Michigan lacrosse would experience such a swift ascent but, then again - why should it be any different?

A block 'M' and winged helmet may not dazzle every recruit but it certainly would work on some. Don't you think that if UCLA fielded a varsity team that their history, the Rose Bowl and those powder blue and gold unis would entice some Long Island boys to head out to Westwood and play for the Bruins? That's the allure of a powerful athletic tradition.

Michigan wouldn't even have to poach bench players, they could recruit on their own strengths. While lacking the lacrosse tradition they could boast the school's overall athletic success and that it is on par academically with UVA and UNC and better than Syracuse and Maryland. Plus, Ann Arbor offers an amazing college atmosphere you may not find at other places.

As a college student I had the amazing opportunity to put on a maize and blue jersey, strap on a winged helmet and play for the University of Michigan. Eventhough it is always followed by an explanation of why it's not as cool as it sounds, it's pretty damn cool to tell people I played lacrosse at Michigan.

Go Blue! Keep rolling and get it done in Colorado and especially at Colorado State.

You make some strong points. I have to say I agree with you. Are the top dogs (Princeton, Cornell, Duke, etc.) still getting the best talent? Yes. Are they better schools than Michigan? Yes. But that is still no reason why Michigan can't throw their hat in the ring and be competitive.

One thing Michigan has going for it is that it will be the first big name, highly reputable school to add lacrosse in a long time. Now that the sport is peaking in popularity, it may be incredibly attractive to HS players who would want to play on a varsity Michigan lacrosse team.

While lacrosse may have its own mystique and traditions, Michigan has an overall athletic mystique. They've been good at EVERYTHING. Is there one team on campus that has not enjoyed some type of success at some point? Off the top of my head I can tell you that the men's football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and swimming/diving teams have all won national championships (I'm pretty sure) and the wrestling team has produced many individual champions. How many other schools can say that? Teams at Michigan have created a unique tradition of success. Michigan lacrosse would undoubtedly carry on that tradition(and has already been doing so).

Like yourself, I am also from the east coast and chose Michigan. I played for an awesome high school team which was stacked with Division 1 talent and has become a perennial contender for county, LI and NYS championships. I sort of slipped through the cracks of the recruiting process but chose to go to Michigan instead of playing at a handful of mid-level D-1 programs. When I played at U of M there were a handful of other players who had done the same, now there are several.

Now, I have to wonder how many kids who are on rosters like UNC, Syracuse, Maryland, Duke, UVA, etc. would have considered Michigan as an option if they had a D-1 team. There's probably a few players who would love to come to U of M and play for the first ever Michigan lacrosse team rather than riding the bench for a top tier team. Michigan would absolutely be able to attract top talent and be successful. That's the Michigan tradition.

You're right. I've been thinking about this lately. If Michigan were to play a D-1 schedule they would probably travel much less.

They could take bus trips to places like ND, Ohio State, Penn State, Butler, Detroit Mercy and Bellarmine (I'm sure there are more teams in the region I can't think of). They can probably even bus to Syracuse. We used to bus to Bloomington and Champagn, play and come back the same day. Then, they can do what they have always done: take a spring break trip and play 3 or 4 games. However, the trip will be to the east coast to NY/NJ and DC.

I would love to see Michigan field a Division 1 team WITHOUT scholarships, even just for a year or two. I think they would still be able to compete. Keep in mind that most lacrosse players, even at the big schools don't get scholarships, much less full scholarships. Michigan has an academic edge and overall reputation that surpasses most schools currently in Division 1.

Duke is also not a recent program. My father played against them in the late 60s and early 70s. They weren't as powerful as they are today.

Back in 1992, Princeton was a nobody in the lacrosse world until they stunned Syracuse. So, there is still room for outsiders to crash the party. Also, in recent years we've seen schools like Navy, Delaware, G'town, ND, Towson, UMass and even Albany make some serious runs in the tournament. Back in the day, it was almost always UVA, Syr, JHU and Maryland.

I still don't think a Final 4 berth is that far-fetched. I didn't say they would win and I didn't say it would be easy but I think it is, in fact, very possible.

If you were to think of the most prestigious athletic powerhouses that don't have a varsity lacrosse program you would have to think of Michigan, UCLA, Stanford and Texas (and to a lesser extent, Florida). Wouldn't you think that it would be huge news if any of those other schools announced that they were going to field a D-1 team? Don't you think that it would not be long before they were attracting top talent and were competitive?

My point is this: Michigan would be the biggest/most prominent school to add lacrosse in recent memory. Plus, it would come at a time when the sport is rapidly growing in popularity. I wonder how many other schools would follow U of M's lead (however, not likely due to budget cuts, weak economy, etc.)

Michigan is better equipped to add a team than any other athletic program in the nation. With the talent Michigan has on the field right now they could play competitively with several Division 1 teams so it wouldn't be a giant leap to the upper echelon. Also, Michigan has better east coast connections than any of those other schools (in many ways, Michigan is more of an east coast school than several east coast schools).

Not to mention, the maize and blue and the winged helmets hold a distinct allure. U of M could poach NY, NJ and DC recruits from the likes of JHU, UVA and Syracuse not to mention PSU, OSU and ND. Wouldn't you want to be Michigan's first big star rather than possibly ride the bench at one of those other schools? Wouldn't you want to be on the first tourney team?

I know its comparing apples and oranges, but who has been one of the most powerful forces in the women's game? Northwestern. A U of M men's team could very well shift the balance of power slightly westward. It would be very interesting. I would love to see A.D. Brandon roll the dice.

First of all, Mgoblog's coverage of the lacrosse program is excellent and it's the best the team has ever had in any media venue. Thanks fellas, keep it up.

In regards to the mailbag, I think it is no longer a question of whether Michigan lacrosse is too good for the CCLA but for the club level all together. It would be better if they could exchange teams like Central and Eastern for lower D-1 level teams like St. John's or Bellarmine. However, it is a lose-lose for those varsity teams. If they schedule a "club" team, it makes their schedule look weak and if they lose to them they have the stigma attached to them of losing to a club team.

However, despite their 'club' handicap, Michigan has still managed to attract talent. I played there years ago and we played Siena (a low level D-1 program) in an official game and we blew them out. We felt that we would have been able to run with several Division 1 teams that year. That was without recruiting, scholarships or even relaxed admissions. In those days we had several players who turned down opportunities to play at good D-1 programs.

The only difference now is that JP has taken the team to the next level and the team is extra dominant now. I would love to see them play some D-1 squads. The lacrosse team is currently one of the best, if not the best team, on campus.

If Michigan launched a varsity program, it wouldn't be 10 years before they were in the Final 4. They could get top players there immediately. I would love to see it. It would be big news in the lacrosse community and would expand interest in the game among the larger sports community.

If the Athletic Department does decide to add a team, I think they should take a page out of Ohio State's book. In its first season Michigan should schedule either Notre Dame or Ohio State in the Big House after the spring football game. OSU did it last year and exposed tons of people to the sport. Imagine that in the Big House? (Plus, by that time it may have been a long time since we beat OSU in anythng).

Go Blue! Beat the Ducks and keep on rolling! Keep up the coverage, boys and thanks!